Today's class was run by Alexandra and Rachel. They led the students through a discussion of what it means to be an engineer and what that entails. They challenged the students to think critically and come to conclusions using many different activities. The first activity had the students describe a box of straws and discuss the information that was presented. One of the main points was that the box clearly stated there were 40 straws inside of it and yet each box had a varying number. Another activity that the students participated in explained the difference between necessary and sufficient. These hands on activities had the students involved and interested.
Along with these activities were discussions on how to check information and to form conclusions through observations, thoughts, and study. The students learned about convention and trusting sources. All of what they learned was related directly back to engineering. They also were given an introduction to Shodor and its mission. Many open ended questions were asked and all of the participants were eager to contribute and learn.